The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-03-10

surrguBAod by meet Of Tho members Of
Is. ismily sHd nan! frlends.
Mr. Bescbsf sss STROKES 9th paralysis
! Saturday wufpiag sni Dsvsr recovered
/ oomRl-is consciousness asiii bis death.
he uss taken IN Thnuasy bat there vers
no sl.rmias symptoms spd no special fear
81 fatal tfminstieu until Saturday mora
ine
IlenFy Ward Bsechcf. The Eighth child
81 lymsp sui sorsna Foo,e Brecber. was
btn il L',chacid. Ceau june a. 1913.
( Ihe espbsrsol vitality aud perfect health
/ ubich cbsrvri.'lg-i Mr Beeohef we're de
Fivyd ffps ions liuc o. New Eneird
aucrsiais. seatlv ~ q whom rste
rrn.tlt siat ~ alesc,l prouess or intel :
Z tsc va -rt.urh. is mother died sben
be : ~ three yeal. old, aud Harriet Porter,
DR., Beechcrs second wife, is represented
TO have been lady OF such dignity that
her infuepce wss somewhat depressing
upon chiId,sa foil OF animal spirits and
sigor Toys ADD holidays we're unknown
The life OF the ministers children was
characterized by an almost Spartan sim
piieiiy, which, with the winds and SHOWS
Of The mounisia tow,. developed rugged
ness. energy and sell reliance 10 Henry
ihese traits were especially tiropg. The
Zine year old boy vowed 10 60 through 40
unusually seyere winter without an over
coat. and when drought came IN the
dead OF winter he harnessrd the horse TO
sled aud started of. three miles over
bleak bills. TO fil barrel slth water At
ten he was q strong oyergrown boy. obedi-
cn,, used 10 hard work aud habituated, too,
10 hear the great questions OF Calyinism
daily discussed 10 bis home and TO argue
upon them himself He was poor writer
aud worse speller, speaking indistinctly,
ssshful TO the verge Of stupidity. At this
time be entered private school 10 Beth
lehem, under the charge OF the Rev. DR.
Langdon. and there showed the strength
OF bis opinions in VIGOROUSLY defend
ing the Bible 10 debate with school
mate who argued from Paine's age Of
Reason.
At the age OF twelve his father removed
to Boston aud Henry entered the Boston
Latin School. But year OF dry study
made him moody and nervous and restless.
At bis fathers suggestion. he began to
read biographies, the lives Of travellers.
sailors and commanders. Carried away
By their deeds OF daring and enterprise,
he wrote to his brother bis resolve to 60 to
sea, with or without his fathers permis :
sion. DR.. Beecher read this letter and
shrewdly bumoring his sons expressed
desire ito be midshipman and aftcrward
comm ander, reminded him that train.
ing Ia mathematics and navigation was
essential and promised to send him to
Mount Pleasant III Amherst for his pre-
paratory studies. But when the next week
came and Heory started for Mount Pleas
ant, DR.. Beecher said to another member
OF the family: II shall have that boy in
the ministry yet" At this school the boy
was pnt through a systematic course OF
elocution by Professor John + Lowell.
which developed bis voice and taught him
the use of gestures aud the proper man
agement Of bis body. Mr.. Beecher always
considered that the removal Of his natural
disabilities. without which he conld have
attained no success as speaker. was due
entirely to Professor Lowell
A religious revival took place at the
school in the course OF Heprys first year,
which chrystalized 10 more difnite form
bis keen scnsibilities and vague purposes.
At his fathers request be went TO Boston
and there united with the Hanover street
church For two years more Henry de-
voted himself to classical studies at Mount
Pleasant and 10 1880 he entered the fresh
man class at Amherst, at his fathers wish,
although tho advanced state Of his studies
would have entitled him to enter as q soph.
omore. This gave him much leisure time
during the first year which was employed
in the study Of oratory and rhetoric and
reading.
10 bis sophomore year he was considered
The best writer and debater IN his class and
was appointed president OF The Atbepisn
Society, although bis neglect Of the class
les aud Mathematics forbade his attaining
high college honors In this same on,
another revival occurred and this marks
the real starting point OF his religions lite.
Ia the last two years in college Henry
taught district schools, beginning his
lihTsry With the money obtained. preached
and spoke regula. ly 10 religious meriiups
lectured on temperance and, A. the auti-
slavery agitation WAS just beginning, took
his position boldly as 40 Aboltiopist
Young Beecher graduated at Amherst
College and Lane Theological Seminary.
ttc HiNnthNh WI q UNIV ~
Ohio. aud afterwards at Indianapolis, then
small town OF . 500 inbsbit.pts.
10 1916 be was called to the pastorsie q
Plymouth church, Brooklyn. then inst
commencing its existence, and there be
lsbored with such great success till bis
death. No preacher 10 the country has
been more loved by bis people. and no
church has stood by its psstor through
evil as well as good repor, with such un-
ananimity as Plymouth church
10 bis theological vieas ar Beecher has
lately Omitted towards greater liberaliiy,
80 much 40 tha, many Of bis Congregs
tional brethren bave considered him IN
soapd. la this respect, however, the
departure has not been as great as many
people suppose, who get their opinions
from detached expressions used by The